Lamprecht JH, Austin ME, Freestone MW, Bouic PJ, Clark A, Brittle W; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 2002 Jul 7-12; 14: abstract no. WePeA5741.
Department of Pharmacology, University of Stellenbosch, Cape Town, South Africa
BACKGROUND: Studies using non-SPF laboratory cats as a model for testing putative immune modulating drugs, were reported earlier. This study was performed to determine if FIV+, SPF cats housed in a barrier unit would be a superior model. METHODS: A group of 8 purpose bred SPF cats housed in a barrier unit was infected with blood from a FIV+, SPF donor cat. Blood samples were taken weekly for 6 weeks and then 6 weekly for 200 weeks. A similar group of 16 non-SPF cats was used for comparison. Sero conversion was confirmed with an Elisa test. Routine, standardised full blood count, differential white cell counts and lymphocyte subsets were recorded and plotted on the same graphs. Mean trend lines for all parameters were compared and changes within groups and between groups were statistically analysed using the SAS procedure for mixed models and a 5% confidence interval. RESULTS: Large variations in individual as well as group means and medians were noted in both groups. Many changes in and between groups reached statistical significance, but were not clinically relevant. Highly significant and potentially clinically relevant differences between the groups were: Eosinophil count decreased in the SPF group and increased in the non-SPF group. CD3 and CD8 percentage decreased more rapidly in the non-SPF group. CD4 absolute count and CD4/CD8 ratio decreased more rapidly in the SPF group. Several cats in the non-SPF group died during the study period, while none in the SPF group died. CONCLUSIONS: Apart from a few selected parameters, the changes in standard laboratory tests of FIV+, SPF and non-SPF cats are similar and the SPF model is not superior. Differences can probably be explained by infective immune stimulation in the non-SPF cats. The use of a sophisticated and expensive SPF model in long term studies using standard laboratory parameters is not essential. Survival remains the most important parameter in non-SPF cats.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Animals
- Antigens, CD4
- Antigens, CD8
- Blood Cell Count
- Cats
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
- Felidae
- Humans
- Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline
- Longitudinal Studies
- Lymphocyte Subsets
- immunology
Other ID:
UI: 102251651
From Meeting Abstracts